


Moving Forward

by wildz907



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: F/F, Hurt/Comfort, References to Depression, Romance, Spirit World Vacation, Twelve Shots of Summer Challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-13
Updated: 2020-06-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:27:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24707575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wildz907/pseuds/wildz907
Summary: Korra takes Asami to a special place in the Spirit World, and she continues to heal, bit by bit. [Twelve Shots of Summer: Seventh Soul]
Relationships: Korra/Asami Sato
Kudos: 36
Collections: Twelve Shots of Summer





	Moving Forward

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Twelve Shots of Summer: Seventh Soul.

“So this was where the battle between you and Vaatu started?” Asami asked as they stood between the Northern and Southern Water Tribe portals within the Spirit World. 

For a moment, Korra no longer saw the landscape as it currently was. Instead, she remembered how dark and desolate it had been. She remembered the negative energy, and the Dark Spirits under Vaatu and Unalak’s control. Amidst all that darkness, the nearby peaks and cliffs had seemed menacing. She felt Asami grab her hand, and that helped to ground her in the present. Korra reminded herself that she had made it through that fight, and although she would always carry the burden of all she had gone through, she didn’t have to let that control her.

“It is,” Korra confirmed. “That isn’t why we’re here though. There’s something I want to show you.”

The two young women went hand in hand to the Tree of Time. Seeing the friendly spirits moving around it brought a smile to Korra’s face. This had once been Vaatu’s prison, but now it was a place of peace. This tree had helped to center her in the past, and she was eager to show it to her- what was Asami to her? Crush? Girlfriend? She knew they needed to talk about that soon and define their relationship, but that could wait. Korra was just content with spending time with the person she loved. Though the words so far remained unspoken, she knew that they both felt the same. 

“This is the Tree of Time. Avatar Wan and Raava imprisoned Vaatu here for 10,000 years,” Korra spoke as they stepped inside of the tree.

“It doesn’t feel like a place where someone so evil used to be,” Asami commented as she brushed her hand over the bark. 

“I know. It’s amazing, isn’t it? It makes sense though. This tree was here long before Vaatu was ever imprisoned in it. It’s always been a source of life and connection.”

Asami turned to Korra and gave her that gentle smile that always warmed Korra’s heart. “I’m glad you brought me here.”

“This place really helped me in the past, and since you’ve supported me so much, it just felt fitting to bring you here.”

Korra sat down on the floor of the tree trunk, and Asami followed her lead, sitting in front of her so they could be face to face. She closed her eyes for a few moments and just basked in the peace of this place. Hearing Asami’s steady breaths across from her just relaxed her even more. It had been so long since she felt like she could actually relax. The last three years had been full of pain and stress, and she had spent so much time feeling broken and useless. Even coming here hadn’t been enough to help her. Being cut off from her own Avatar spirit had made her unable to embrace the Spirit World as she had before. Her lack of faith in herself also led her to falter when it came to fighting, which had always come naturally to her in the past. From a young age she had excelled at bending, and had never hesitated to step in and fight. After Zaheer poisoned her and nearly killed her, it had left her broken in both body and spirit. She had thought she would never truly recover.

Losing against her initial fight with Kuvira definitely hadn’t helped to make her feel better.

“What are you thinking about?”

Korra opened her eyes and looked into Asami’s pale green eyes. She could see the concern and love reflected there.

“I guess I was just remembering how I felt when I came here a few months ago. I was just so lost and hopeless, and I thought coming here would help me like it did before, but it didn’t.”

“I’m sorry. I know you’ve had a hard time with everything that’s happened to you the last few years.”

Korra was glad that she had grown enough to be able to recognize Asami’s tone as sympathetic rather than pitying. She had always hated the idea of people pitying her, and it had often led her to lash out at people who just wanted to help. 

“I was so angry about it all for so long,” Korra admitted. “Everything I’ve done has always been to help people, but sometimes it felt like I just made things worse. No matter what I did or what I sacrificed, more and more terrible things just kept happening.”

Korra didn’t realize that her hands were clenched into fists until Asami placed her hands on top of Korra’s. 

“It isn’t your fault that other people make bad choices. You can’t control how people think or act. The only thing you can control is how  _ you _ respond, and I think you’ve done an amazing job with that. You’ve done so many great things, Korra, and I know you’ll do many more,” Asami told her. “Just remember that you don’t have to do everything on your own. You have so many people who love you, and we will always be by your side.”

“Thank you, Asami. Like I said before, you’re really sweet. I don’t know what I would do without you,” Korra admitted. “I’m so lucky to have met you.”

“I think I’m the lucky one. Meeting you and seeing how brave and selfless you are gave me the strength to be brave, too.”

“I haven’t always been brave. I hid from the world for three years.”

“You needed time to heal. That’s not something to be ashamed of. You still came back when we needed you, and you stopped Kuvira.”

Bitterness colored Asami’s tone when she said Kuvira’s name. Korra knew that she resented the older woman for killing her father, and she couldn’t blame her. Korra couldn’t imagine how she would feel if she lost her father. The fact that Asami and Hiroshi had just started to reconnect made the loss even more painful. 

“Does it bother you that I spared her?” Korra asked. She was a bit apprehensive to hear the answer.

Asami sighed. “A part of me, a really dark part of me, did want her to die. She killed my father, and her selfishness and greed hurt so many people. But I could never be upset with you for doing the right thing.”

“I really am sorry that you lost your father. He hurt all of us in the past, but I know he thought he was doing the right thing, and I know he truly loved you. In her own twisted way, Kuvira also thought she was doing the right thing. That doesn’t excuse her actions, but it made me understand her. She was lost, like I was, but she didn’t allow anyone to help her like I did.”

“I don’t think I can forgive her, at least not right now. But I can understand why you sympathize with her. The fact that you showed her mercy and understanding shows what a good person you are.”

“I told Tenzin that all the suffering I went through allowed me to show her mercy. I felt as broken and desperate as she did. I’ll never agree with her choices, but I understand the motivations behind them.”

Asami reached one of her hands out and cupped Korra’s cheek. “You’ve grown so much in these last few years. You’ve been hurt so much, but you’ve always managed to keep pushing forward. You’re a really amazing person.”

“So are you, Asami. Thank you for always being there for me, and for being someone that I can talk to about anything.” 

Korra knew her healing process would be continuous, and she would never really go back to the person that she was before. That didn’t bother her so much anymore, though. The things she had gone through had nearly ruined her, but in the end she had come out of it stronger than ever. She had learned a lot about herself, and she had grown as a person. She could not change the past, but she didn’t have to let it control her. It also helped that she had people that she could count on. Back in the human world, she had Mako, Bolin, Tenzin, and so many others waiting to help her whenever she needed them. And here in the spirit world, she had Asami, and she knew the other woman would always be by her side.

In the future, there would be more fights, and more suffering. But for right now, Korra could just enjoy this well-earned vacation with the woman she loved, and let herself heal bit by bit.

**Author's Note:**

> The week two prompts were "spare" and "fight". They felt fitting for Korra, and I wanted to write something for this fandom now that I finally watched the show. Initially I found Korra to be kind of a frustrating character, but she really grew on me. 
> 
> I haven't read the comics that take place after the show, so I'm sorry if anything in here contradicts them! I did do a bit of research on them, but I didn't want to read too much about them before actually reading them.


End file.
